This invention relates to providing a network communication status description based on user characteristics.
Networks such as the Internet enable users all over the world to share information. For example, a Web-browser (e.g., Microsoft(copyright) Internet Explorer(copyright)) can retrieve web-pages from computers in almost any country. Such networks typically require network nodes (e.g., computers) to share a protocol that defines how the network nodes communicate. For example, computers on the Internet commonly communicate using HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol). HTTP defines messages that a client (e.g., a browser) can send to request information from a server. HTTP also defines messages that the server uses to send back the requested information. The HTTP messages typically travel through a number of intervening agents (e.g., proxies, routers, and firewalls) en route to their destinations.
As many xe2x80x9cweb-surfersxe2x80x9d have experienced, obtaining information over a network is not always trouble-free. For example, information a user seeks may have been moved to a different computer. Additionally, the computer storing the information may be temporarily unable to provide the requested information, for example, when the computer receives too many requests at the same time.
A server can supply an error message for display by a browser or other client. For example, many Web users may have encountered a xe2x80x9c404xe2x80x94File Not Foundxe2x80x9d error message during a browsing session. Unfortunately, error messages can be very technical and, therefore, have little meaning for novice computer users. Additionally, while network nodes in different countries share a communications protocol, computer users still speak a wide variety of languages. Thus, an error message in English is of little value to someone who only speaks French. A server administrator can configure a server to provide error messages in different languages.
In general, in one aspect, a method of providing a network communication status description based on user characteristics includes receiving a status indication from a first networked computer in response to a user""s request for information and determining one or more characteristics of the user who issued the request. The method provides a status description corresponding to the received status and the determined user characteristics.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The method may further include transmitting the status description to a second networked computer.
The status indication may indicate the success or failure of the user""s request. The status indication may be a status code such as an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) status code.
User characteristics may include technical proficiency. The technical proficiency may be inferred, for example, by basing the proficiency on a user""s previous request or requests for information.
User characteristics may include one or more preferred languages. The preferred languages may be inferred, for example, by determining a user""s address or access number used.
The status description may include text and/or speech data. The status description may include graphics, video, animation, sound, and instructions. The status description may be selected from a database of status descriptions.
In general, in another aspect, a method of providing a network communication status description based on user characteristics includes-receiving an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) status code from a first networked computer in response to a user""s HTTP request for a URL (Universal Resource Locator) provided by the first networked computer. The method also includes determining one or more characteristics of the user who issued the request, selecting a status description from a database of status descriptions based on the received HTTP status code and the determined user characteristics, and transmitting the status description to a second networked computer.
In general, in another aspect, a proxy for providing a network communication status description based on user characteristics includes means for receiving a status code from a first networked computer in response to a user""s request for information, means for determining one or more characteristics of the user who issued the request, means for selecting a status description from a database of status descriptions based on the received status code and the determined user characteristics, and means for transmitting the status description to a second networked computer.
Advantages may include one or more of the following. By transmitting a status description in a user""s preferred language(s), a user can quickly understand problems that occurred when the user requested information and can try to remedy these remedy problems. By centralizing status descriptions in an intervening agent instead of duplicating the descriptions at different servers offering information, the servers need not waste processing time providing tailored status descriptions and need not provide storage for a large number of status descriptions. By providing status descriptions based on a user""s technical proficiency, the techniques can provide a user with information likely to be of value to the user.